Euro 2016

Mauricio Pochettino backs Dele Alli to nail down England spot

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 15 October 2015

Mauricio Pochettino says that Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Dele Alli boasts the maturity needed to become a regular for both club and country.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has backed Dele Alli to earn a place in England's Euro 2016 squad.

The youngster was handed his first senior caps in the recent wins over Estonia and Lithuania as Roy Hodgson looked to experiment ahead of next year's finals.

Despite playing League One football until this season, Pochettino believes that the way Alli has matured in such a short space of time stands him in good stead to force his way into Hodgson's plans.

"You never know. In football it is always about performance," he is quoted as saying by the Daily Star. "If he follows in the same way that he played in the last few months he will maybe have an opportunity to go.

"It is not because he is young, 19 years old. Football is about performance and if he carries on in the same way he could have a possibility to go.

"I watched the second game and he didn't disappoint. His first touch was a great touch. He is maturing and I am happy with the way that he was looked after. He has come from League One but he has adapted in a very good way."

Alli has featured 10 times for Spurs since joining from MK Dons in the summer.